Analysis: How will Riyad Mahrez fit in at Manchester City?

In a new series of articles, FantasySports.co.uk will analyse the likely formation and performance impact that players would have on some of the Premier League’s greatest clubs. Today, we ask the question: ‘Analysis: How will Riyad Mahrez fit in at Manchester City?’

Analysis: How will Riyad Mahrez fit in at Manchester City?

Manchester City celebrated their first piece of Silverware over the weekend. Pep Guardiola’s team claimed the FA Community Shield on Sunday with a 2-0 win over rivals Chelsea. Guardiola’s starting XI may have surprised a few supporters as the manager selected winger Riyad Mahrez on the right side of an attacking three. The Algerian international may not have got on the scoresheet, but he did play 68 solid minutes. Both Manchester City goals came with Mahrez on the pitch and it can be said that his first competitive match in a Manchester City shirt was a success.

Mahrez’s arrival from Leicester City led many to believe he would be a third-choice winger for the club. That could still be the case as Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva, and Raheem Sterling were not in the Community Shield team.

If Mahrez is just a third-choice winger then he is an expensive one at £60 million. He is the only player of note to arrive at Manchester City this summer with the club spending just under £64m on players and selling over £34m worth of talent.

Fantasy Premier League managers have great incentive to buy Mahrez to start the season. The winger costs a miserly £9.0m in FPL. Mahrez should shine brightly in the opening weeks of the Premier League season. Manchester City still has players missing due to the World Cup, a tournament Mahrez wasn’t playing at. Mahrez has been able to train and adapt to Guardiola’s team early and it should pay off this season.

Mahrez FPL stats.

Mahrez’s 2017-18 was a rebound in FPL points. The winger scored a total of 195 points, which was 75 points more than the season before. Mahrez’s 240 FPL points from 2015-16, in the club’s Premier League winning season, may not be an anomaly. Now at Manchester City, Mahrez will have plenty of top players around him he didn’t have at Leicester. It could bring the Algerian back into the fine form he was in three seasons ago and he could reach that 240 mark once more.

The biggest problem for Mahrez and FPL managers could be his playing time at the club. Despite shelling out £60m for him, Mahrez may not get many Premier League minutes once the season gets into full swing. For now, he is a great early season FPL buy and should get plenty of minutes in the opening weeks.